I want it to be harder to pull line off the reel. Drifting with a 1/2 ounce sinker it is impossible to leave the reel in free spool and just engage the clicker. It clicks all the darn time. I want it where if it makes a sound, it is a fish or one darn good snag. I can't believe a half ounce sinker hangs up in the mud and silt at it seems to be doing.

I want it to be harder to pull line off the reel. Drifting with a 1/2 ounce sinker it is impossible to leave the reel in free spool and just engage the clicker. It clicks all the darn time. I want it where if it makes a sound, it is a fish or one darn good snag. I can't believe a half ounce sinker hangs up in the mud and silt at it seems to be doing.

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The only thing that I don't like about the Cabela's Salt Striker SS 6600X is weak clickers.Solving your problem is easy with a lever drag or bait feeder spinning reel,tho most spinning reels top out at about 1 1/2 lbs.with the bait feeder drag.Now the lever drags have no casting controls or help.I think my Shimano Charter Special 2000 LD is perfect for your situation.I don't see why the Abu-Garcia or the two Penn level wind lever drags would not be suitable.I had them all on the counter side by side at Bass Pro when I picked out the Shimano.I think they are all good.I don;t remember if the Aba-Garcia was level wind.The Penn 330 was not out back then.I love you Brothers and Sisters.peewee

Richard, I know to adjust my drag that way, the problem is I don't want to .. LOL. I'd like to set my drag and not mess with it at that point. That, in my opinion, is where a guy gets in trouble. If I set the drag at 60% of my line strength, I have a built in safety factor... if I guess at where my drag is set, it is like tight rope walking without the net...I may be okay, I may have my line broke within the first minute. I would just rather have a stronger spring on the clicker.

Lawrence, I had a problem with that in faster currants. I switched from egg sinkers to flat no-roll and that solved my problem. A round or egg sinker wants to keep moving in faster currant. I think Richard was talking about the spool tension knob not the star drag.

If you can't find a way to increase the tension on the reel enough to solve your problem, you might want to consider something like this. Take a look at the line-counter attachments that clip onto your rod in front of the reel; the type where the line simply loops around a small rotating wheel. Then rig up something like that that has a tension adjustment on it instead of a line counter. You can quickly and easily take the loop off the wheel for casting and playing a fish.

I think Jerry might be onto something. To make it even simpler, maybe you could just attach a release clip of some sort either to your rad or maybe just attach it to your boat gunnel or rod holder or something. They sell loads of different release clips for downrigger, outriggers, planer boards, etc. You can also jury rig your own with a clothes pin or with a light rubber band.

There are few web sites out there that sell Abu parts and "customizing" stuff. I had a C4 that I liked a lot except for the higher gear ratio, so I bought the lower ratio (mid range) gears and swapped them. I don't recall ever seeing a clicker tension adjustment or anything, but you never know. I would search for the web sites that seel that stuff and then send them an email to ask about it. Even if they don't sell such a thing, they might be able to tell you a way to fix it up.

If you do come up with an answer for this problem, please be sure to let us know. This is something that I think could benefit us all!

the casting drag adjustment will slow down or tighten up the spool to prevent it from spinning to quickly you just have to remember it when you recast , i have enough trouble remembering which rod had what bait on it let alone which one needs cast adjusting .